A bicycle accident can be a serious thing to endure, and the victim is often sidelined for a while, making it difficult to get back to their normal life. At The Pearce Law Firm, PC, an established Cherry Hill law firm with proven trial experience, we understand what a bicycle injury victim is going through, and we will work hard to get them the compensation they need to get their life back on track. We work on a contingency fee basis, no fee unless we win, so you can pursue your legal claim without upfront costs.
More people today are riding their bikes, whether it’s for fun and recreation, getting into shape, or even commuting to work through bike lanes and intersections. However, the downside to this is that much of the time bikes have to travel alongside the much larger and heavier motor vehicles, and this inevitably leads to accidents.
Protecting Your Rights After a Bicycle Accident with a Cherry Hill Bike Accident Attorney
A Cherry Hill bike accident attorney at The Pearce Law Firm can investigate the cause of your crash, identify the party responsible, and pursue compensation for your injuries and losses. Because a passenger car outweighs a bicycle and rider between 10 and 20 times, even a seemingly minor collision can send a cyclist off their bike and into the emergency room, followed by months of recovery.
When this happens, you need a bike accident attorney who understands what you are going through and knows how to help you recover financially. Our firm investigates accident circumstances thoroughly, documents client injuries with medical documentation and expert witnesses, and negotiates aggressively with insurance companies to maximize client compensation.
Not all injuries are the same, and the type of injury can make a big difference in the specific needs and challenges the injured cyclist will face. Whether you’re dealing with catastrophic or permanent injuries, understanding what damages you can recover, including medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and future medical costs, is critical to your financial recovery.
At The Pearce Law Firm, PC, we are experienced in all types of bicycle injuries and know how to address the needs of the client when we get compensation for their injuries. We represent clients in court when necessary and are trial-ready, fighting for injured cyclists to prove driver negligence and secure fair and maximum compensation. Some of those injuries common to a bicycle accident are:
- Traumatic Brain Injury: A head injury is the most common traumatic injury to a cyclist. Even when wearing a helmet, the head is vulnerable to serious injury in a bicycle accident. With this comes months or years of cognitive rehabilitation, which needs to be addressed in any compensation award. We also handle cases involving spinal cord injury and paralysis, ensuring that disability compensation and long-term disability outlook are factored into your claim.
- Severe Road Rash: A severe road rash can be as painful as a third-degree burn and require much the same treatment, including skin grafts and rehabilitation.
- Broken Wrists: These are common in a bicycle accident, and a broken wrist can sideline the cyclist for some time. Any settlement or compensation amount must include losses like travel and loss of quality of life.
- Fractured Ribs: A broken rib is painful and often takes time to heal. More severe cases can require surgery and extended recovery times.
- Shattered Elbow/Knees: Falling off the bike can shatter a kneecap or an elbow upon impact. Either will require immobilization of the arm or leg until full recovery.
How a Lawyer Can Help After Your Bicycle Is Hit by a Car
Bicycle accidents can happen in many ways, including when a driver fails to see a cyclist, opens a car door into a bike lane, or turns across a cyclist’s path. If you were injured, a bicycle hit by car lawyer can examine how the accident happened, determine who may be responsible, and pursue compensation for your injuries and losses.
New Jersey also has a Safe Passing Law that requires drivers to use due caution when passing bicyclists. Depending on the circumstances, this can mean moving over a lane, leaving at least four feet when passing on a single-lane road, or slowing to 25 mph when four feet cannot safely be provided.
Bike-lane crashes can involve similar issues. A driver may turn across a cyclist’s path, enter a bike lane when making a turn, fail to yield, or open a car door into the cyclist’s path. New Jersey recognizes bicycles as having many of the same rights and responsibilities as motor vehicles on the roadway, so the specific traffic conditions and actions of everyone involved can matter when determining responsibility.
Not all injuries are alike, and not all accidents are alike. There are many ways a cyclist can end up in an injury accident, including hit-and-run incidents, dooring accidents, right hook and left cross collisions at intersections, and complex bike lane crashes, and a trusted and compassionate bike accident lawyer is going to recognize that understanding the circumstances surrounding an accident is going to help in getting the proper compensation both during and after the recovery.
Our firm handles all legal paperwork, provides personalized attention with same-day response and 24/7 availability, and offers home visits and hospital visits to meet clients where they are.
Many injured cyclists wonder: How much compensation can I get? What is my case worth? How long will my case take? Will I have to go to court? What if the driver has no insurance? Can I still recover if I wasn’t wearing a helmet? What if I was partially at fault? These are important searcher considerations, and we address each one during your free consultation. We also provide statute of limitations guidance so you don’t miss critical filing deadlines, and we advise you on whether you should talk to insurance companies before securing legal representation.
Bicycle Accident FAQ
Can I Get Compensation If I Was Hit While Riding My Bike in New Jersey?
Yes, you may be able to pursue compensation if another person’s negligence caused your bicycle accident. New Jersey treats bicyclists as roadway users with many of the same rights and responsibilities as motorists. That means the circumstances of the crash matter, including whether a driver failed to yield, made an unsafe turn, followed too closely, or failed to give a cyclist enough room when passing.
If you believe you may have contributed to the accident, that does not necessarily prevent you from recovering compensation. The amount you may recover can depend on the facts of the case and each party’s share of responsibility.
What If the Driver Who Hit Me Fled the Scene?
A hit-and-run bicycle accident can make a claim more complicated, particularly if the driver is never identified. If you have automobile insurance, your uninsured motorist coverage may also be relevant depending on your policy and the circumstances of the accident.
An attorney can review your available insurance coverage and the evidence from the crash, including witness information, photographs, surveillance footage, and police reports, to determine what options may be available.
Can I Recover Compensation If I Wasn’t Wearing a Helmet?
Not wearing a helmet does not automatically mean you cannot pursue a bicycle accident claim. New Jersey’s bicycle helmet requirement applies to riders under 17, while adult cyclists are not subject to the same statewide helmet requirement.
The circumstances of the accident and the injuries involved still matter. If the other driver caused the crash, an attorney can examine the facts of the accident and how the injuries occurred before determining how the lack of a helmet may affect the claim.
What If I Was Partially at Fault for the Bicycle Accident?
Being partially responsible for an accident does not necessarily prevent an injured cyclist from pursuing compensation. New Jersey uses a comparative negligence system, which means the amount of compensation can be affected by the percentage of fault assigned to each party.
Because fault can affect the value of a claim, it is important to look at what each person involved did before and during the crash. Evidence such as traffic-camera footage, photographs, witness statements, medical records, and the police report may help establish what happened.
How Long Do I Have to File a Bicycle Accident Lawsuit in New Jersey?
There is a deadline for filing a personal injury lawsuit after a bicycle accident in New Jersey. The applicable statute of limitations can depend on the circumstances of the claim, so an injured cyclist should not wait until the deadline approaches before speaking with an attorney.
Our firm can review the circumstances of your accident and explain the filing deadline that applies to your claim.
Contact a Cherry Hill Bicycle Accident Lawyer Near You
A bicycle accident can cause serious injuries, create financial losses, and leave cyclists facing a difficult recovery. An experienced bicycle accident lawyer near you from The Pearce Law Firm, Personal Injury and Accident Lawyers, P.C. can investigate the crash, explain your legal options, and pursue compensation for your losses.
If you or someone you know has been injured in a bicycle accident or bike crash in the Cherry Hill area and needs a Cherry Hill bicycle accident lawyer, contact The Pearce Law Firm, Personal Injury and Accident Lawyers, P.C. online or call 215-557-8686 for a FREE consultation and case evaluation.
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